Method for packaging products as well as such a device

ABSTRACT

In a method for packaging products at least one product to be packaged is placed in a bag by means of a bag filling device, after which a number of bags are placed in a box. The placing of the products in bags is synchronised with the placing of the bags in boxes and also the placing of the boxes in a direction of conveyance.

The invention relates to a method for packaging products, in which atleast one product to be packaged is placed in a bag by means of a bagfilling device, after which a number of bags are placed in a box.

The invention also relates to a device suitable for carrying out such amethod.

With such a method, which is known per se, a bag filling device is usedto form a bag from, for example, a plastic film, in which bag usually anumber of products to be packaged are placed. The bag is then sealed andthe products are thus packaged. The filled bag is subsequently depositedin a container or discharged, after which the bags are placed in boxeseither manually of by means of a separate device.

A drawback of such a method, however, is the fact that the bags must bereoriented prior to being placed in the box, whilst in addition there isa risk of the products in the bags being damaged at some point betweenbeing filled in the bag filling device and being placed in the boxes.

The object of the invention is therefore to provide a method by whichproducts can be packaged in a more efficient manner.

This object is achieved by the method according to the invention in thatthe placing of the products in bags is synchronised with the placing ofthe bags in boxes and also with the movement of the boxes in a directionof conveyance.

The synchronisation makes it possible to place the filled bags in theboxes immediately after the products have been packaged in bags. Thisensures that the orientation of the bag is retained, the risk of damageto the products present in the bags is reduced, and the products arepackaged in bags and subsequently in boxes more quickly.

One embodiment of the method according to the invention is characterisedin that the bag filling device releases a bag only if a box is availablefor receiving the bag.

In this way a bag is prevented from leaving the bag filling devicewithout a box in which the bag is to be placed being available.

Yet another embodiment of the method according to the invention ischaracterised in that the box is moved in a direction of conveyancedepending on the supply of bags from the bag filling device.

If, for example, a stoppage occurs in the bag filling device, only afull box will be conveyed further in the direction of conveyance. A boxthat is not yet full will remain near the bag filling device. Only whenbags have been placed from the bag filling device in the box again andthe box has been filled as desired will the box be conveyed further inthe direction of conveyance and discharged.

Another embodiment of the method according to the invention ischaracterised in that the bag filling device is provided with a guide,by means of which a bag is guided into the box.

The bag filled and preferably also sealed in the bag filling device isguided into the box by means of the guide. This means that the bag ispositioned in a controlled manner in a desired place in the box. In thisway it is ensured that, for example, the bag does not fall over, thusmaking it difficult or completely impossible to place the next bag.

Yet another embodiment of the method according to the invention ischaracterised in that the guide extends into the box, the bag to beplaced in the box being placed in a space in the box which, viewed inthe direction of conveyance, is in front of the guide.

It is possible in this way to dimension the space present in the box insuch a way that the bag is a virtually exact fit in it. This means thatthe bag is positioned accurately in the desired place in the box, sothat it is possible to place the desired number of bags in the box.

Yet another embodiment of the method according to the invention ischaracterised in that the guide is provided with a bag pressure partwhich extends into the box, the box being moved relative to the bagpressure part in order to press in the bag placed in the box.

By pressing in the bags it is ensured that sufficient space is presentin the box for placing the desired number of bags in the box, so that arelatively high degree of filling can be achieved. Furthermore, in thisway the bag is pressed against the wall of the box or against bagsplaced earlier in the box, so that the bags stand firmly in the box.This means that the risk of the bag falling over during movement of thebox in the direction of conveyance will be minimal. It is undesirablefor the bag to fall over because this makes it difficult to placefollowing bags in the box.

Another embodiment of the method according to the invention ischaracterised in that the box is moved in a direction opposite to thedirection of conveyance in order to press in the bag in the box.

By moving the box in a direction opposite to the direction ofconveyance, the space between a bag placed in the box earlier or a wallof the box, on the one hand, and the bag pressure part, on the otherhand, is reduced, so that the bag is pressed in.

The movement of the box in or opposite to the direction of conveyance issynchronised with the packaging of the products in bags.

Yet another embodiment of the method according to the invention ischaracterised in that the bag pressure part is moved in the direction ofconveyance in order to press in the bag in the box.

This means that the box need only be movable in the direction ofconveyance and it is possible to press in the bag in any desired way bymeans of a separately driven bag pressure part.

Yet another embodiment of the method according to the invention ischaracterised in that after the bag has been pressed in, the box ismoved relative to the guide in order to create space for placing thenext bag.

Pressing in the bag will ensure that it retains the desired position inthe box. By subsequently moving the box, space is easily created forplacing the next bag.

Yet another embodiment of the method according to the invention ischaracterised in that the guide is removed from the box before the lastbag is placed in the box.

Guiding the bag until just above the box is all that is necessary forplacing the last bag in the box. The rear wall of the box, viewed in thedirection of conveyance, and the bag placed just in front of it form afurther guide for the last bag to be placed in the box.

Yet another embodiment of the method according to the invention ischaracterised in that after the last bag has been placed in the box, thebox is moved in the direction of conveyance, while the next box ispositioned near the bag filling device and the guide is placed in saidnext box.

All these operations need to be carried out in the period in which a newbag is being prepared, by means of the bag filling device, for placingin the box. This means that by means of the bag filling device, productscan be placed in bags at a virtually constant speed, and these bags canthen be placed in separate boxes.

Yet another embodiment of the method according to the invention ischaracterised in that the bag filling device is provided with a bufferdevice, in which a number of bags are collected, after which the bagsare placed simultaneously in the box.

In this way a number of bags that are, for example, side by side, viewedin the direction of conveyance, can be placed in the box simultaneously.This makes it possible to form a number of rows of bags in the boxsimultaneously.

Yet another embodiment of the method according to the invention ischaracterised in that the bags are pressed in simultaneously after beingplaced in the box.

In this way a number of bags that are, for example, side by side can bepressed in together, so that all bags standing side by side in a row arepressed in in the same way.

The invention also relates to a device which is suitable for carryingout the method described above.

The device according to the invention is characterised in that thedevice is provided with a bag filling device, a box conveyor device, anda controller for synchronising the placing of the products in bags, theplacing of the bags in boxes and the movement of the boxes in adirection of conveyance.

Good synchronisation can be achieved by means of the controller, makingit possible in an efficient manner for products to be packaged in bagsand for the products packaged in bags subsequently to be placed in abox.

The invention will now be explained in greater detail with reference tothe drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a first embodiment of a device accordingto the invention,

FIGS. 2-4 are a side view, front view and top view of the device shownin FIG. 1,

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a detail of the device shown in FIG. 1,

FIGS. 6A-H show stepwise the method according to the invention of thedevice shown in FIGS. 1-5,

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a second embodiment of a deviceaccording to the invention,

FIGS. 8-10 are a side view, a front view and a top view, respectively,of the device that is shown in FIG. 7,

FIG. 11 is a perspective, larger-scale view of a part of the device thatis shown in FIG. 7,

FIG. 12 shows the method steps according to the invention of the devicethat is shown in FIGS. 7-11.

Corresponding parts are provided with the same reference numeral in thefigures.

FIGS. 1-5 show an embodiment of a device 1 according to the invention,which is provided with a frame 2 and an endless conveyor belt 3extending transversely through the frame 2. The frame 2 supports a bagforming, filling and sealing device which is known per se, and only thesealing part 4 of which is visible. Between the sealing part 4 and theconveyor belt 3, the bag filling device is provided with a guide 5. Theguide 5 comprises two parallel plates 6 that join the sealing part,between which a feed-through opening 7 is situated. The feed-throughopening 7 opens into a feed-through opening 8 at a side remote from thesealing part 4, which feed-through opening 8 is bounded by asubstantially vertically extending plate 9 and a plate 10 that ismovable against spring force. The guide 5 is further provided with apressure plate 11 forming a bag pressure part, which extendssubstantially in line with the plate 9 in the position that is shown inFIG. 2. The pressure plate 11 is connected to a piston-cylindercombination 12, by means of which the plate 11 can be moved from theposition that is shown in FIG. 2 in a direction away from the conveyorbelt 3 as indicated by the arrow P1.

The endless conveyor belt 3 is movable in and opposite to the directionof conveyance indicated by the arrow P2, for the conveyance of boxes 13lying on the conveyor belt 3. Each box 13 comprises at least anunderside 14, two side walls 15 extending transversely to the underside,a front wall 16, viewed in the direction of conveyance P2, and a rearwall 17, viewed in the direction of conveyance.

The sealing device 4 comprises two jaws 19, which are positionedopposite each other and are movable towards and away from each other inand opposite to the directions indicated by the arrows P3, P4. Adouble-folded endless film (not shown) is guided between the jaws 19 inthe direction indicated by the arrow P5, in the course of which atransverse seam is made in the film by means of the jaws 19. Theproducts to be packaged are then placed in the tubular film, which issealed on the underside by the transverse seam. In the meantime orsubsequently, tubular film is moved further in the direction indicatedby the arrow P5, after which a transverse seam is made in the tubularfilm again by means of jaws 19, and the bag thus formed is cut off.

The method described above is known per se and will therefore not beexplained in any further detail.

The operation of the device 1 according to the invention will now bediscussed with reference to FIGS. 6A-H.

In the position that is shown in FIG. 6A, a box 13 is situated betweentwo stops 20 provided on the conveyor belt 3. The pressure plate 11 hasbeen positioned in the box 13 by means of the piston-cylindercombination 12 and is spaced a predetermined desired distance from thefront wall 16 of the box 13. Once the box 13 has taken up the desiredposition relative to the pressure plate 13, the second transverse seamof the bag can be formed by means of the sealing part 4 and the bag canbe cut off the tubular plastic film, as a result of which the bag willfall into the feed-through opening and subsequently, via thefeed-through opening 7, into the feed-through opening 8. In thefeed-through opening 8, the bag is stopped by the plate 10. The plate 10is pivoted against spring force in the direction indicated by the arrowP6 (FIG. 2) under the influence of the force of gravity, as a result ofwhich the feed-through opening 8 is enlarged (see FIG. 6B) and the bag21 gradually moves through the feed-through opening 8 into the space 22in the box 13 that is defined by the front wall 16 and the pressureplate 11 (see FIG. 6C). Then the conveyor belt 3 is moved in a directionopposite to the direction of conveyance as indicated by the arrow P7,causing the wall 16 of the box 13 to be moved towards the pressure plate11 and the bag 21 to be pressed firmly against the front wall 16. Thenthe box 13 is moved in the direction of conveyance indicated by thearrow P2 again by means of the conveyor belt 3 until a space 22sufficiently large for receiving a next bag 21 is present between thebag 21 that is already present and the pressure plate 11. Meanwhile anew bag has been formed again after the first bag 21 was cut off thetubular film by means of the sealing device 4, which new bag is cut offby means of the sealing device 4 the moment the box 13 takes up theposition that is shown in FIG. 6E, after which said bag is moved intothe space 22 (see FIG. 6F) in the manner described above with referenceto FIGS. 6B and 6C.

Then the conveyor belt 3 is moved a relatively short distance again inthe direction indicated by the arrow P7, so that the bags 21 are pressedagainst the front wall 16 by means of the pressure plate 11.

Following that, the conveyor belt 3 is moved in the direction indicatedby the arrow P2 again so as to create a new space 20 for a next bag 21.After a number n of bags have been placed in the box 13, n being thetotal number of bags to be placed in the box 13, the plate 11 is movedout of the box in the direction indicated by the arrow P1 by means ofthe piston-cylinder combination 12. Then the last bag 21 is placed inthe space bounded by the last bag but one and the rear wall 17.Following that, the conveyor belt 3 is moved in the direction indicatedby the arrow P2 until a next box 13 takes up the position that is shownin FIG. 6A. The pressure plate 11 is then moved into the box 13 in thedirection opposite to the direction of the arrow P1, after which thisbox, too, can be filled with bags 21 in the manner described above.

Preferably, the synchronisation between the sealing part 4, the movementof the conveyor belt 3 in the direction indicated by the arrow P2 andthe direction indicated by the arrow P7, as well as the movement of thepressure plate 11 is such that bags can be formed in a continuousmanner.

This means that the time required between FIG. 6B and FIG. 6E must besubstantially the same as the time required between FIG. 6H and FIG. 6B.

The moment the delivery of filled bags 21 via the sealing part 4 isinterrupted, the box 13 will be stopped by means of a controller in aposition in which the box 13 can receive a bag 21. When the supply ofboxes 13 by means of the conveyor belt 13 stagnates, the forming,filling and sealing of bags will be stopped until a space 22 in which abag 21 can be placed is present round the feed-through openings 7 and 8again.

FIGS. 7-12 show a second embodiment of a device 31 according to theinvention, which largely corresponds to the device that is shown inFIGS. 1-6. The device 31, however, is suitable for placing a number ofbags 21 standing side by side in a row simultaneously in a box 32.Between the sealing part 4 and the conveyor belt 3 the device 31 is tothat end provided with a guide 33, which guide is provided with twoplates 6 extending parallel to each other and with a feed-throughopening 7 situated between said plates. The guide 33 is further providedwith a pressure plate 11, which can be moved in and opposite to thedirection indicated by the arrow P1 by means of a piston-cylindercombination 12. The pressure plate 11 is of a width that correspondssubstantially to the width of two bags. As is clearly visible in FIG. 9and FIG. 10, the pressure plate 11 is in a staggered position relativeto the guide plate 6. An advantage of this is that if the tubularplastic film tears and/or a transverse seam is not properly made in thefilm, the product to be introduced into the tubular plastic film willfall though between the jaws 19 onto the ground and cannot accidentallypass in loose form into the box 32. Between the plates 6 and thepressure plate 11 the guide 33 is provided with a buffer device 34. Thebuffer device 34 comprises a bearing plate 35, which on a side facingaway from the plates 6 is provided with a receiving plate 36, on which abag 21 falling through between the plates 6 is received. On a sidesituated near the pressure plate 11 the bearing plate 35 is furtherprovided with a vertically extending stop edge 37. Between the stop edge37 and the receiving plate 36 the bearing plate 35 is provided with aflap 38. The buffer device 34 is further provided with a pusher plate39, which is movable by means of a piston-cylinder combination 40 in andopposite to the direction indicated by the arrow P10.

The operation of the device 31 will now be explained in greater detailwith reference to FIGS. 12A-H. At the starting position shown in FIG.12A the pressure plate 11 is positioned in the box 32, a space for twobags 21 standing side by side being present between the front side ofthe box 32 and the plate 11. By way of the sealing part 4 a bag 21 hasfallen onto the receiving plate 36. The pusher plate 39 is in theposition furthest away from the stop plate 37. The pusher plate 39 isthen moved by means of the piston-cylinder combination in the directionindicated by the arrow P10, the bag 21 likewise being moved in thedirection indicated by the arrow P10 by means of the pusher plate 39.The bag 21 is supported on the underside here by the closed flap 38 (seeFIG. 12B). The pusher plate 39 is subsequently taken back to theposition shown in FIG. 12A, after which the next bag 21 can be depositedby way of the sealing part 4 onto the receiving plate 36 (FIG. 12C).This bag 21 is also pushed again by means of the pusher plate 39 in thedirection indicated by the arrow P10. The bag 21 also pushes the bag 21positioned earlier on the flap 38 further in the direction indicated bythe arrow P10. The stroke of the pusher plate 39 is set here in such away that in the outermost position of the pusher plate 39 shown in FIG.12D the bags 21 on one side are resting firmly against the stop plate 37and on the other side are resting firmly against the pusher plate 39.The pusher plate 39 is then moved again in the direction opposite tothat of the arrow P10, after which the flap 38 is opened and the twobags 21 fall simultaneously into the space bounded by the pressure plate11 and the front side of the box 32 (FIG. 12E). The bags 21 are thenpressed in by means of the pressure plate 11 in the same manner as withthe device that is shown in FIGS. 1-6, and a new space for followingbags is created between the bags 21 already placed and the pressureplate 11 (FIG. 12G). At the same time new bags 21 are formed andreceived on the receiving plate 36 in the manner described withreference to FIGS. 12A-12D, and are taken to a position above the flap38, after which the next row of two bags 21 is positioned in the box 32.

Prior to placing of the last two bags 21 in the box 32, the pressureplate 11 is lifted out of the box 32 by means of the piston-cylindercombination 12 in the direction indicated by the arrow P1.

By means of the controller, the drive of the sealing part 4, themovement of the pressure plate 39, the opening and closing of the flap38 and also the conveyance of the box 32 in the direction indicted bythe arrow P2 and in the direction opposite to the arrow P2, indicated bythe arrow P7, is controlled in such a way that bags can be filled andsealed and subsequently placed in boxes at maximum speed.

The forming, filling and sealing of the bags and likewise the boxfilling process are controlled from a central control unit, so that anoperator does not have to duplicate any input of values. If a faultoccurs in the box filling process, the bag filling machine istemporarily stopped, and if a fault occurs in the bag filling machine,the box is held in the correct standby position.

It is, of course, also possible to place more than two bags side by sidein a box.

It is also possible to use friction wheels or driven rollers instead ofthe spring plate 10 to reduce the speed of the falling bag 21. It isalso possible to provide the pressure plate 11 with a spring-loadedmechanism which remains in contact with a bag 21 already placed untilthe next bag 21 is placed in a box.

It is also possible to make the conveyor belt 3 extend in a slightlyslanting position, so that under the influence of gravity the bagsalready placed in the box automatically rest against the bags placedearlier, or against the wall of the box.

It is also possible to arrange for the pressing in with the pressureplate 11 to be achieved by moving the pressure plate 11 towards thefront wall.

It is also possible to reciprocate the conveyor belt in directionstransversely to the direction of conveyance instead of or in addition tousing a buffer device for placing a number of bags side by side in thebox.

Products which can be packaged are bulk products such as coffee, flouror a liquid, or general goods such as coffee pads, confectionery orcakes.

1. A method for packaging products, in which at least one product to bepackaged is placed in a bag by means of a bag filling device, afterwhich a number of bags are placed in box, characterised in that theplacing of the products in bags is synchronised with the placing of thebags in boxes and also with the movement of the boxes in a direction ofconveyance.
 2. A method according to claim 1, characterised in that thebag filling device releases a bag only if a box is available forreceiving the bag.
 3. A method according to claim 1, characterised inthat movement of the box in a direction of conveyance is dependent uponthe supply of bags from the bag filling device.
 4. A method according toclaim 1, characterised in that the bag filling device is provided with aguide, by means of which a bag is guided into the box.
 5. A methodaccording to claim 4, characterised in that the guide extends into thebox, the bag to be placed in the box being placed in a space in the boxwhich, viewed in the direction of conveyance, lies in front of theguide.
 6. A method according to claim 4, characterised in that the guideis provided with a bag pressure part which extends into the box, the boxbeing moved relative to the bag pressure part in order to press in thebag placed in the box.
 7. A method according to claim 6, characterisedin that the box is moved in a direction opposite to the direction ofconveyance in order to press in the bag in the box.
 8. A methodaccording to claim 6, characterised in that the bag pressure part ismoved in the direction of conveyance in order to press in the bag in thebox.
 9. A method according to claim, characterised in that after the baghas been pressed in, the box is moved relative to the guide in order tocreate space for placing the next bag.
 10. A method according to claim4, characterised in that the guide is removed from the box before thelast bag is placed in the box.
 11. A method according to claim 4,characterised in that after the last bag has been placed in the box, thebox is moved in the direction of conveyance, while the next box ispositioned near the bag filling device and the guide is placed in saidnext box.
 12. A method according to claim 11, characterised in that thebag filling device is provided with a buffer device, in which a numberof bags are collected, after which the bags are placed simultaneously inthe box.
 13. A method according to claim 12, characterised in that thebags are pressed in simultaneously after the bags have been placed inthe box.
 14. A device which is suitable for carrying out the methodaccording to claim 1, characterised in that the device is provided witha bag filling device, a box conveyor device, and also a controller forsynchronising the placing of the products in bags, the placing of thebags in boxes and the movement of the boxes in a direction ofconveyance.
 15. A device according to claim 14, characterised in thatthe bag filling device is provided with a guide for leading a bag into abox.
 16. A device according to claim 15, characterised in that the guideis provided with a bag pressure part for pressing in the bag placed inthe box.
 17. A device according to claim 14, characterised in that thebag filling device is provided with a buffer device for collecting anumber of filled bags.